The 18 lakes managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency are open year-round for fishing. Designed and regulated especially for family fishing, these lakes prohibit alcoholic beverages, houseboats, inboard motors, water skiing, personal watercraft, and swimming. Most lakes have wheelchair accessible fishing piers, easy access to bank fishing, boat rentals, launching ramps, and picnic areas. Some lakes offer conveniences such as bait, tackle, snacks and drinks. These lakes are managed to provide fishing opportunities while producing the best quality fishing possible at a minimal cost.

Ten of the lakes are located in West Tennessee and range from 87 acres to 560 acres in size. The remaining eight lakes are located in Middle Tennessee and range from 12 acres to 325 acres in size.

One of the 4 lakes at Williamsport (Whippoorwill) is for youth-adult fishing only an embankment of Laurel Hill Lake is designated for youth-only fishing. In addition to these, there are a couple of ponds totaling approximately 15 acres designated as youth fishing ponds located on the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness WMA in White County. For more information about these ponds call the Region 3 TWRA office at 1-800-262-6704.

General Information

If the family wants to get away from it all, then consider one of these 18 Family Fishing Lakes to pursue your thoughts, and relinquish your worries to the tug of bluegill, bass, or catfish. You might find something you've lost while enjoying an activity which is basic, simple and just plain fun and relaxing.

A $6.00 daily permit (available at most lakes) or a $48.00 annual permit is required to fish all of these lakes except for Garrett and Whiteville Lakes. The annual permit may be purchased at lakes with a concessionaire, and is good at all lakes. For Coy Gaither/Bedford Lake the lake permit (type 65) should be purchased from a license agent in the surrounding area before going to the lake.

Boats may be rented for $10.00 per day at most lakes on a seasonal basis. This permit may be purchased at the individual lake office.

Fishing is permitted seven days per week from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (except Garrett Lake is open 24 hours a day).The only tackle/gear that is legal is rod and reels, poles, hand-held lines, and jugs (with certain restrictions). All other gears are prohibited. See Fishing Regulation Guide for rules along with size and creel limits for each lake.

Boats may not exceed the no wake speed. Motors (except trolling motors) are prohibited on some lakes. Personal boats may not be left overnight.

Motorized vehicles are permitted only on designated roads.

Lake Permit Requirements for Residents

Anglers under the age of 13, holders of a Lifetime Sportsman license, or an Annual Sportsman license do not need a lake permit.

Anglers born before March 1, 1926 do not need a license or lake permit.

Anglers who are age 65 and older need only a Permanent Senior Citizen license (type 166) and do not need a lake permit.

Anglers age 16 through 64 must have a Tennessee fishing license and an annual or daily lake permit.

Anglers ages 13-15 need only a Jr. Hunt/Fish/Trap license.

Lake Permit Requirements for Non-Residents

Anglers age 16 and over must have a Tennessee non-resident fishing license and a daily lake permit.

Anglers ages 13-15 must have a Tennessee non-resident fishing license but do not need a daily lake permit.

Fishing Tips:

Crappie are usually found close to the bank during late April and early May spawning time.

Try bass fishing early and late during warm weather near any type of cover.

VFW Lake

Location:

Lawrence County, Twelve miles west of Lawrenceburg off U.S. Highway 64. Take State Highway 241 off U.S. 64 to VFW Lake Road just past the State Highway 240 junction. The lake may also be reached from the Natchez Trace Parkway. Take the Napier Road exit. (Hwy. 241)

Fee Fishing Ponds in Tennessee

There are numerous private ponds and small lakes throughout the state that charge either a fee to fish, a fee per pound of fish or a fee only if you catch fish. These lakes, known as catch-out facilities or pay lakes, are usually kept stocked on a regular basis and offer a good opportunity as a place to take children, because fish are more easily caught.

Since many of these areas may be opened seasonally and some information is subject to change, please call ahead before traveling to the place in question.

These lakes are being provided as a convenience to the public that may choose to fish these private waters. The information is offered with the understanding that no discrimination is intended as there may be other fee fishing areas that do not appear here. No endorsements are implied. Inclusion of sites or locations does not imply Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's approval of their product or service to the exclusion of others that may be similar, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the products or service offered.

If you operate a Fee Fishing Area and would like to be included in future issues of this directory, or there are corrections to be made, please contact:

Ponds & Small Lake Management

Good fishing doesn't just happen! A pond that consistently produces good catches of fish is a result of proper planning, construction, and management.

Tennessee has approximately 200,000 ponds and small lakes that provide over 100,000 acres of potential fishing water. In fact, these waters account for nearly one-fourth of all fishing trips made in Tennessee annually. Ponds and small lakes are often the "stepping stones" for Tennessee youngsters who later become dedicated anglers and conservationist. With proper planning and management these waters have the potential of providing many enjoyable hours of good fishing.

Although ponds and small lakes provide many important and practical benefits: erosion control, livestock watering, swimming, irrigation and wildlife enhancement, the information found in "Managing Small Fishing Ponds and Lakes in Tennessee" has been prepared to encourage Tennessee landowners to plan, construct and manage their ponds and small lakes properly for recreational fishing.

A good pond depends on location, design, construction, stocking, and management. After the pond is completed, success or failure depends on the landowner's using necessary practices to establish and maintain good fish populations. Recreational fishing in ponds and small lakes can benefit tremendously from a small amount of management effort. Proper stocking of the right species and number, a balanced harvest of mature fish, proper fertilization (if needed), water quality management, and aquatic weed control are basics that the pond/small lake owner should understand. Many unmanaged (or mismanaged) ponds could produce many more pounds of fish than they currently do if good management practices were followed.

Although the stocking strategy you choose should be geared to the kind of fishing you want, for the best recreational fishing and table fare, the largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and channel catfish (optional) combination is hard to beat in Tennessee.

New or renovated ponds must be properly stocked because the fish that are originally introduced represent the future sportfish catch and harvest for many years to come. Improper stocking seldom provides desired results. Except for supplemental stocking of channel catfish, a pond that already contains fish generally does not need to be stocked. Fingerling fish (2-4 inches) stocked into a pond that contains adult fish will become fish food. Only stock additional largemouth bass or sunfish if recommended by a fisheries biologist.

Moving fish from your neighbor's pond or a local lake to your pond is not recommended. Many sunfish species are similar in appearance. You could mistakenly stock sunfish that are not desirable in small ponds. Also, there is a good possibility of transmitting fish diseases from pond to pond.

In general, sunfish (bluegill/redear) are stocked in the fall and winter months. Bass are stocked the following spring. The timing is not as critical with catfish and hybrid sunfish combinations, but fingerling survival is always best when fish are stocked into cool water.

All of the above combinations, except catfish only, must be stocked in ponds larger than 0.25 acres, and preferably in ponds 1 acre or larger. Channel catfish can be stocked alone in smaller sized ponds at 100-150 per acre, without supplemental feeding.

Stocking hybrid sunfish can offer a good alternative for owners of very small ponds (less than 0.25 acres) up to ponds 3 acres in size. But it is important for the owner to know that certain conditions are critical and need to be met for the success of ponds stocked with hybrid sunfish. First, do not stock hybrid sunfish into ponds containing other fish, and never stock them in combination with other bream(bluegill and redear sunfish) species. The reason for this is because [redear sunfish] hybrid sunfish will crossbred with other bream species and hybrid identity and vigor will soon be lost. Second, hybrid sunfish should always be stocked in combination with a predator fish, such as largemouth bass or catfish, to control both the small amount of expected hybrid sunfish reproduction (which is not desirable) and wild fish which may accidently get into the pond. In either case, more food will be available for the stocked hybrids.

It is important to remember that hybrid sunfish management is for production of large sunfish, and bass growth will be less than desirable. Also, periodic restocking of hybrid sunfish will be necessary to sustain the fishery for more than a few years. The recommended initial stocking rate is 750 hybrid sunfish and 30 largemouth bass per acre, or 400 hybrid sunfish and 100 catfish per acre. Pond owners should keep records of the number of hybrid sunfish removed and if possible, restock with 3 to 4 inch hybrids when 60 to 75 percent of the original stocked fish have been caught and removed.

White amur, commonly called grass carp is another fish species that may be stocked into ponds that have aquatic plant problems. Grass carp feed almost exclusively on aquatic plants and therefore can be an effective biological control method when aquatic plants become a nuisance.

Although aquatic plants are beneficial to natural functions in fishing ponds and lakes, they can sometimes interfere with the owners preferred use of the pond when allowed to spread unchecked. Triploid grass carp may be stocked with other fish species at recommended rates and may be obtained from commercial fish producers. Only triploid (sterile) grass carp are legal to stock in Tennessee.

No special permit is required of the pond owner to stock grass carp at this time, but pond owners should obtain verification from the sellers that they are purchasing triploid grass carp. For more information, including stocking rates for grass carp, see the Aquatic Weed Control - Biological Control section of "Managing Small Fishing Ponds and Lakes in Tennessee". ​

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is no longer offering fish for stocking private ponds and small lakes.

Private pond/lake owners wanting fish can purchase them from either the fish hatcheries in the state, or from commercial fish producers that visit many farm and feed stores located in each county (see “Obtaining Fish From Commercial Producers” below).

The pond owner can contact a farm/feed store in their county to check on the availability of fish. Pond and lake owners can also contact any office of TWRA for assistance in locating a commercial source for fish. Please visit the Dept. of Agriculture for more information.

Fish species, including largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and grass carp may be purchased from commercial fish producers located in Tennessee.

Fish for stocking ponds, including triploid grass carp, may also be available at your local feed store, farmers supply stores and cooperatives. Fish producers visit some of these stores on a regular basis during the spring and fall. Call your local store for more information.

Since there are many commercial hatcheries that produce fish for sale to pond owners, it is best to consult several suppliers to see who has the best prices and delivery schedules. Also, do not hesitate to ask questions about the fish you’re buying in order to insure you’re getting your money’s worth. The following questions are suggested, and reputable fish producers will be happy to answer them.

Questions for commercial fish producers:

What is the warranty on your fish? (Some producers only guarantee live fish delivery, but the fish may die later from hauling stress or disease).

Do you raise the fish, or do you buy them from someone else? (It’s important to know the source of the fish provided, should problems arise).

Can you certify the genetic composition of your fish? (Some strains of fish are more suited to certain situations (Florida bass, for example), but some hatcheries do not routinely check their brood stock or fingerlings for genetic purity. Tennessee law requires that only “triploid” or sterile grass carp may be stocked. The producer should have verification that his grass carp are “triploid”.

What species and sizes of fish do you supply? (Some producers only sell or raise certain species or sizes of fish that may not be right for your pond).

Are the fish you supply guaranteed to be free of exotic or unwanted species? (Exotic species can harm a fish pond, and cause problems when they escape the pond).

It is important to note that in most cases, the chemistry of the water your fish are shipped in is different from the water in your pond. When your fish arrive, adjust them to your pond water before releasing them or they may die! This is done by gradually mixing pond water into the shipping container over the course of at least 30 minutes. Then, lower the container into the water and let the fish freely swim out when they are ready. Do not pour the fish out!

Disclaimer! Reference to commercial firms is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is implied, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the products or service offered. For additions, corrections, or to have your business included as a commercial fish producer, please send the appropriate information to:

Tennessee State Park Fishing Lakes

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation operates approximately fifty-four state parks/natural areas, and many offer fishing opportunities at reservoirs, lakes, ponds and trout streams.

In fact, a park is within 50 miles of every citizen in the state, so a good fishing spot is closer than you think. For more information about these fishing opportunities, call them at 1-888- 867-2757 or visit them at: http://tnstateparks.com/activities/fishing